I’m going out on the line and putting a decade of pizza cred built by writing about and visiting hundreds of pizzerias in New York City and across America to say that Buffalo-style pizza is America’s most underappreciated regional style.

...

at last count there were more than 600 pizzerias in Buffalo and its immediate surrounding urban area. That means if we’re conservative and say just 600, there’s at least one pizzeria for every 428 people in the Nickel City. Compare that to New York City, whose some estimated 1,600 pizzerias serve 8.538 million people. That’s right, New York City, which has 33 times the number of people as Buffalo, per capita, has less than four times the number of pizzerias.

IMHO, Buffalo has excellent pizza, and far superior to Chicago (which is gross), although not as good as NYC.

I *regret* the fact that the article gave rise to a fairly significant, and gravely stupid, backlash on Twitter from people who live in Buffalo (but were raised elsewhere) *and* from people who were born in Buffalo but now live elsewhere -- all of whom were heard to talk about how truly terrible Buffalo pizza is.

I'm not sure why the Twitter algorithms ensured that I saw those Tweets. They almost made my head explode.

Wait -- I understand now why that happened. That's Twitter's business model.

Anyway. I've spent significant amounts of time in all kinds of regions of the country. There is a *lot* of bad pizza out there. I'm not sure Buffalo has the best pizza (whatever, it probably doesn't), but the pizza in our region is quite good and, at times, excellent.

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I'm actually pretty fortunate that as a Buffalo expat in Texas I still have a supply line to Buffalo food. A guy from Kenmore was working as a chef at a high-end restaurant and got his boss to back him to open a bar called Buffalo Bros. 3 miles from my house. Perfect Buffalo pizza, great wings, beef on weck (with kimmelweck rolls sourced locally to his specs), Sahlen's hot dogs, Bison French Onion Dip, loganberry on tap, even fried bologna sandwiches. It's the Bills Backers site for Fort Worth so on game days it's hard to tell whether you're in Texas or WNY when you're there.

I *regret* the fact that the article gave rise to a fairly significant, and gravely stupid, backlash on Twitter from people who live in Buffalo (but were raised elsewhere) *and* from people who were born in Buffalo but now live elsewhere -- all of whom were heard to talk about how truly terrible Buffalo pizza is.

I'm not sure why the Twitter algorithms ensured that I saw those Tweets. They almost made my head explode.

Wait -- I understand now why that happened. That's Twitter's business model.

Anyway. I've spent significant amounts of time in all kinds of regions of the country. There is a *lot* of bad pizza out there. I'm not sure Buffalo has the best pizza (whatever, it probably doesn't), but the pizza in our region is quite good and, at times, excellent.

The thing about Buffalo is it's hard to find bad pizza around here. There are so many pizza places fighting over such a small population that you can't suck and stay in business.

If anyone here has instagram or twitter and isn't following Buffalo Pizza Review (Sexy Slices), then you need to be doing that.

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While I enjoy NYC pizza, Buffalo style pizza I prefer. I won't say one is better because there are times where I don't want that thick cheesy mess that is Buffalo pizza. Of course after moving away and finding places where the go to pizza is Papa Johns and Dominos... Buffalo's pizza culture is a god send.

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A couple years ago I was made aware of Imperial Pizza in South Buffalo. I sought it out. It's righteous. Now we figure out how to make stops there in or out of travels from the Southern Tier to Niagara County. For me, it's now up there with Bocce's in the 'heavenly' echelon of pizza pies.

I haven't found any pizza quite that good in all my travels in various states and countries. But I'll keep looking.

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I’m outside the Buffalo metro area, but still in western NY. Pizza just isn’t the same once you leave the Buffalo suburbs. Outside of a couple of isolated examples, the pizza is just different when you leave metro Buffalo. Ive yet to find pizza In my county that I enjoy as much as I enjoy Buffalo pizza. We travel into another county just to get Buffalo pizza.

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While I enjoy NYC pizza, Buffalo style pizza I prefer. I won't say one is better because there are times where I don't want that thick cheesy mess that is Buffalo pizza. Of course after moving away and finding places where the go to pizza is Papa Johns and Dominos... Buffalo's pizza culture is a god send.

Ugh, that's the worst, ain't it?

I lived in Detroit for 6 years. My favorite pizza was Little Caesar's. But I say that with a caveat: Little Caesar's in their home market is a much better product than anywhere else. And they have more variations on their basic product in Detroit than elsewhere. It's merely okay other places but in Detroit it's quite good.

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Being an ex-pat myself that was raised on Bocce Pizza on Clinton avenue (the original place I believe) Buffalo Pizza blows away NY city and every other pizza haven I've been to. When I do go to Buffalo which is all too infrequently lately, getting a pizza is a must do item. Nothing in Houston touches a neighborhood pizza place in Buffalo. There's a NY City style pizza place not that far from the house here that's respectable but I still prefer Buffalo style and nobody can touch the pepperoni either.

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I’m outside the Buffalo metro area, but still in western NY. Pizza just isn’t the same once you leave the Buffalo suburbs. Outside of a couple of isolated examples, the pizza is just different when you leave metro Buffalo. Ive yet to find pizza In my county that I enjoy as much as I enjoy Buffalo pizza. We travel into another county just to get Buffalo pizza.

I was always fine with Salvatores. They were pretty close to Buffalo style. Marks sucks.

That's why I differentiated between home market Little Caesar's and everywhere else. In Texas it's not nearly as good as it is in Detroit. I was excited when they came into Fort Worth.... then disappointed.

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I was always fine with Salvatores. They were pretty close to Buffalo style. Marks sucks.

Man... I never thought that. Mark's sucks... Salvatore's is worse than Dominos.

We had a place open up near us that was close to Buffalo style, their crust was amazing, they used the margherita pepperoni that formed grease cups, the sauce was pretty good. But they're quality went down hill.

We now have a new place in the area and I really enjoy their pizza. They are a little heavy on the cheese, but again, the sauce is close, the pepperoni is spot on, etc.

Never liked NYC pizza.. I like thin crust, but not NYC style which just... I dunno... blows. I've had good pizza in other cities... overall arguing about pizza and what city is the best is so subjective it's not really worth it.

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I was always fine with Salvatores. They were pretty close to Buffalo style. Marks sucks.

We get Salvatore’s at work. It’s OK. Mark’s has been inconsistent in my opinion. There is a Mark’s not too far from me. When they are on, which is a coin flip, they are on par with Salvator’s.

There used to be a Guida’s near work. Their pizza was terrific, but different. Closer to NYC style I think.

When we want good pizza we travel south about 30 minutes. Little place in a little village that makes a fantastic Buffalo style pizza. The have a double pepperoni, double cheese pizza that is a bang on replacement for a pizza joint that used to be in North Tonawanda. I forget the name of the joint, but they were known for being over the top with the amount of cheese and meat that they used.

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We get Salvatore’s at work. It’s OK. Mark’s has been inconsistent in my opinion. There is a Mark’s not too far from me. When they are on, which is a coin flip, they are on par with Salvator’s.

There used to be a Guida’s near work. Their pizza was terrific, but different. Closer to NYC style I think.

When we want good pizza we travel south about 30 minutes. Little place in a little village that makes a fantastic Buffalo style pizza. The have a double pepperoni, double cheese pizza that is a bang on replacement for a pizza joint that used to be in North Tonawanda. I forget the name of the joint, but they were known for being over the top with the amount of cheese and meat that they used.

edit- Pizza Junction? That might be the one in NT

Pizza Junction is the place you are thinking, I am certain. You could only eat a slice of their pizza before you were stuffed. It was novel, but again, too much cheese.

Guida's was good... not sure if they have ANY locations left. The pizza place in the town next door was Guidas. It's now Ruck's and that's the pizza we choose all the time.

I mean, bottom line, it's pizza. You have to work really hard to make a pizza I won't eat. I can eat Domino's, Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, even Little Caesars... I won't enjoy it nearly as much but it's still pizza.

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Pizza Junction is the place you are thinking, I am certain. You could only eat a slice of their pizza before you were stuffed. It was novel, but again, too much cheese.

Too much cheese??? WUT?? There's no such animal in my book as TOO MUCH CHEESE on a pizza.

If you're being sarcastic..... I apologize but too much cheese??? I just can't wrap my head around someone who says too much cheese in a pizza post. I know you're not the only one complaining about too much cheese on a pizza so please do not tell my pizza maker that they are putting too much cheese on a pizza.

IMHO, Buffalo has excellent pizza, and far superior to Chicago (which is gross), although not as good as NYC.

Discuss.

We here in Buffalo sometimes don't realize how good we have it when it comes to food... pizza & wings included. But I suppose all of our overgrown stomachs should be a sign lol But we often take it for granted. For a city of our size, we have it pretty good in terms of quantity & quality. I'm reminded of this when I talk to people around the world, that gush & get excited about ordering pizza. Only to find out that they really mean Pizza Hut or Dominoes or one of those other chain places.

It saddens my heart when they gush about Dominoes. These people have no idea. It's hard to explain how good something is to someone who doesn't know. But this article you shared will help spread the word. Thanks for sharing! Hopefully spreading the word about Buffalo Pizza will help make pizza great again

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Being an ex-pat myself that was raised on Bocce Pizza on Clinton avenue (the original place I believe) Buffalo Pizza blows away NY city and every other pizza haven I've been to. When I do go to Buffalo which is all too infrequently lately, getting a pizza is a must do item. Nothing in Houston touches a neighborhood pizza place in Buffalo. There's a NY City style pizza place not that far from the house here that's respectable but I still prefer Buffalo style and nobody can touch the pepperoni either.

Not sure if it is still any good. But Geppeto's west of the city (from google appears that it's in Sugarland, had thought it was slightly north of that) was opened by a Buffalo ex-pat & had good wings & very good za (at least by Houston standards). There had been a better location on 1940 north of the main metropolis but not sure if it is still open.

Wouldn't recommend making a special trip for it, but 30 years ago it was worth the trip. Though they didn't have the tiny pepperonis that curl up & cup the grease. But the crust was typical thickness for Buffalo, w/ a sweet sauce, & a heart attack's worth of cheese.